Kitchen Inspiration: Seven Stylish Ideas

When it comes to upgrading your home decor, sometimes less is more. You don’t always have to take a sledge hammer to your space to achieve a big change. If you want to spruce up your kitchen without breaking the bank or the walls, we’ve got just what you need. Transforming one or two strategic pieces can have as big an impact as completely remodeling – you just need to be clever. Consider the following ideas as you begin to revamp your space; we’ve got a list of seven fun things to try in your kitchen.

Beautiful Backsplash – Getting a little creative with your backsplash can go a long way. Have fun exploring styles and colors before selecting a new one. There’s a myriad of options available to you, so think carefully about what will work best for your kitchen and your taste.

Image via Mobile Home Living

Cute Chalkboard – There are few spots in the home better suited for a chalkboard than the kitchen. Write messages, shopping lists, recipes, notes, and more! Help get your family more organized and your kitchen more stylish.

Image via Hunted Interior

Fun Fixtures – This is a grate light fixture! It’ll add tons of zest to your kitchen. Ok, we’ll stop, but seriously, how cute is this cheese grater light? And the best part is, it’s a breeze to make!

Image via RecyclArt

Sweet Seats – Why not use this project as a chance to experiment with color and patterns? Not everything in your kitchen has to be entirely uniform, so get a little playful. We love these unique chairs – they’re clearly part of a set, but their different patterns have a great effect on the rest of the white kitchen.

Image via Rue Daily

Happy Herbs – Improve the look of your kitchen and the taste of your cooking by making a fun and functional herb garden! These gorgeous plants will freshen up your space and food.

Image via Camille Styles

Wonderful Wallpaper – Wallpaper can add some much needed warmth to an otherwise icy kitchen (stainless steel appliances and white walls are classic and stunning, but they can also be a little cold). Try using a nice pattern to create an accent wall. Heat up your space without going overboard.

Image via Better Homes and Gardens

Cozy Color – Instead of making your space more cozy using wallpaper, you can be a bit bolder and try paint. We’re loving the mint green they’ve tried in this kitchen. Make sure to pick a hue you’ll love for a long time; painting is a more serious commitment than wallpaper. 

Image via Apartment Therapy

We hope these ideas help inspire you to try something new in your kitchen. Will you update your lighting or try growing a herb garden? Make sure to share your kitchen transformation with us @HomeShows on Twitter and Instagram! We’d love to see what you cook up! 

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Spruce Up Your Kitchen Decor For Spring: Add Texture & Sophistication

Interested in spicing up your kitchen for spring? After a long, cold, harsh winter it might be time to bring some more sunshine and warmth into your home - and what better place to do it, than the kitchen? Before getting ready to help out the attendees of the Denver Home Show, Wynn Interiors shared their best tips for updating your kitchen.

"Texture adds another dimension to any room. As an example, let's apply this to your kitchen. Most of us think in terms of color when we're planning to remodel or redecorate. That's great, and color right now, especially in the kitchen, has become a more important part of the room than the muted tones of the past.

Now, consider adding texture along with color. How exactly does that work? Well, for example, texture can be the addition of stone, reclaimed wood, or glass on the vertical surface of your kitchen island or peninsula. The effect is wonderful. It makes that area a focal point or an accent in the room, adding depth, dimension, and additional interest to a common part of the space.

The backsplash is already an area in which these elements have been used. Now, let's add to the overall feeling of the kitchen by bringing them to the peninsula or island, adding panache and sophistication.

Try adding one more element to make it more exciting: use LED tape lighting under the counter to accent the texture. Put it on a separate dimmer switch to create soft, wonderful mood lighting and ambiance. Something amazing happens when you can walk into your kitchen, the most important room of the home, and see the warm glow and special interest these elements create."

Join Wynn Interiors at the Denver Home Show, March 20-22, at the National Western Complex. These design experts will be on hand to help with your decor dilemmas as part of our Ask The Designer feature. Bring your plans, ideas, questions, and pictures - together the Wynn Interiors team will help you create the right touches just where you need them. No inquiry is too big or too small for your FREE ten minute consultation! Don't have tickets for the show yet? Get 2-for-1 on Facebook and bring a friend or family member to the show - we can't wait to see you there.

MARCH 20-22, 2015.
NATIONAL WESTERN COMPLEX

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Celebrity Spotlight: James Young

James Young is a licensed contractor and electrician and the host of the DIY Network series, I Hate My Kitchen. He's hardcore when it comes to home improvement. He has remodeled a number of homes and kitchens, including both large-scale commercial and residential projects. James will be with us at the Salt Lake Home Show, January 9-11, at the South Towne Expo Center. But before you see him at the show, get to know him a little better in our interview below.

Marketplace Events (MPE): Have you always been interested in the home remodeling process?

• James Young (James): "I started getting involved with home remodeling when I got ready to sell my first house. I realized that the only way I was going to make any profit or just get out even was to fix it up myself. I really enjoyed it and sold it myself. That whole process led me to become a Realtor and start working in the industry."

MPE: How did you decide to become a licensed electrician?

• James: "I took every electrical tech course available in high school and then went into the Army as an Electronic Communications Specialist. Upon completing my time in the service I was accepted into the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers where I completed a 5-year apprenticeship program and received my license."

MPE: How would you describe I Hate My Kitchen?

• James: "I would describe my show as a rags to riches type show. Real people who really hate their kitchens and just dream of change. I get the opportunity to come in and a lot of times take the kitchen down to the studs and make their dreams come true - on a budget. It's a dream come true for the homeowners and the audience gets to see all the new trends and tricks of the trades to use on their homes."

MPE: What was your favorite project on the show?

• James: "One of my favorite projects on the show was helping a couple that ran a non-profit from their home and cooked for multitudes of people from homeless to youth in need. The transformation allowed her to be more efficient in helping people. But, after eight seasons, I can say every show is my favorite because the smiles and all the tears of happiness in the end make it all worth it."

MPE: What will you be talking about at the Salt Lake Home Show?

• James: "In Salt Lake City I will be discussing what I call the "5 W's of Planning Your Kitchen Renovation". It's an overview of how to start and finish your project and have a big smile when it's all done.

Sounds like you can't afford to miss James Young at the Salt Lake Home Show! The show is running from January 9-11 at the South Towne Expo Center. Get tickets on Facebook now and save! Buy 2-for-1 tickets when you visit our Ticket Deals page!

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Kitchen Miracles: Amazing Transformations With DIY Network's James Young

Renovation guru James Young loves tearing up kitchens as the host of I Hate My Kitchen on the DIY Network. James is a DIY expert and a licensed contractor and electrician, and the combination is powerful. On his show I Hate My Kitchen, James is always coming up with new ways to remodel kitchens without breaking the bank, while using latest designs and products. Just look at some of the amazing kitchen transformations he's helped with!

He will be sharing his tips and tricks this year at the Salt Lake Home Show – including a breakdown of his “5 W’s” of planning your projects. But before you see him at the show, check out his top 3 kitchen tips, perfect for planning a remodel on a post-holiday budget. 

3 Kitchen Tips to Take to the Bank

1. Start with a solid design plan - Making changes later in the game can get expensive. The first thing to consider is the electrical and plumbing. Save money by keeping everything in its original place. Select appliances early on, so that cabinets fit well.

2. Painting kitchen cabinets is an excellent way to update - Prep them properly by sanding and de-glossing. If you would like to change out the hardware, you may need to fill and sand holes. Use high-quality enamel paint, products such as Benjamin Moore Satin Impervo are durable, washable, and look great.

3. Function is the key to a good kitchen - Older homes tend to be tight on space. When working with a small kitchen consider opening up the floor plan. A kitchen island or adding a few shelves is a great way to increase storage.

The Salt Lake Home Show takes over the South Towne Expo Center January 9 - 11, 2015. It's the event for all things home and garden, including celebrity appearances, local experts, presentations and demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and more. Buy tickets early to get the best prices - right now you can get two tickets for the price of one with our Facebook promotion. Visit our Facebook page to learn more. 

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